Bird Flu: Brazil Declares Emergency

BRAZIL – Brazil has declared a six-month animal health emergency after several cases of avian flu were found in wild birds.

Seven cases have been reported in Espirito Santo State, with another discovered in Rio de Janeiro.

The emergency declaration makes it easier for the government to now bring in measures to stop the highly infectious H5N1 virus from spreading.

Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat, with annual sales of nearly $10 billion dollars.

Authorities say the cases were found far away from Brazil’s main areas of production in the south of the country.